TWO SERMONS Preached In the Tower.  
The former, On Sunday the 30. day of janury. 1641.  
The later, On Sunday the 24. day of April. 1642.  
By The Bishop of Bath and Wells.  
LONDON, Printed by T. H. for Charles Greene, and are to be sold in Ivy Lane at the sign of the Gun. MDCXLII.   

To the Reader.  
GEntle Reader, I have seen a Sermon in print, under the name of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, (but without his Lordship's consent or knowledge I am sure) whereat I was an attentive auditor, and I find many gross errors in that Impression; for therein many sentences are imperfect, many words are misplaced, many passages are omitted, and the sense in many things is utterly mistaken: whereby the Bishop suffereth in his credit, and the Reader is abused in his expectation. Albeit I do believe he that took the Sermon in writing when it was preached, had no intention at all, by printing it, to wrong the Author. Therefore I thought fit, for the Churches good, and to do the Bishop right, to publish (though much against his Lordship's mind) a true and entire copy of that first, and also of this other Sermon preached since by him in the same place, for which I stayed until now, otherwise I had played the Midwife with the former long since; but now the work is complete, and I wish thee as much comfort and benefit in reading both these Sermons, as I had in hearing them. Farewell.  
W.D.   

The first SERMON.  The Text. 2 COR. 12.8, 9 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might departed from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 
WHich words have dependence upon the Verse next before, wherein St. Paul tells us, that lest he should have been exalted above measure through abundance of Revelations, there was given unto him a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him.  
Now for this thing, what thing? Why this thorn in the flesh which did grieve him, this messenger of Satan which did buffet him, he besought the Lord thrice that it might departed from him.  
So then the cause of his earnest prayer was the thorn in his flesh, the Messenger of Satan; and the occasion of that thorn in his flesh, that messenger of Satan, was the abundance of Visions and Revelations from the Lord: no Apostle had so many, none so great.  
But the greater the favour of God was to him herein, the greater was his danger of falling into spiritual pride, & superexaltation of himself; the most dangerous sin that the child of God can fall into Indeed God's grace & our humbleness of mind should go together; and the greater the graces are which we receive from God, the more humble must we be in ourselves; and me more humbly ought we to walk with our God This is the coherence of the Text.  
The parts in general are two. 

The first is St. Paul's petition unto God, in the former verse, For this, thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might departed from me.  
The second is God's answer unto St. Paul, in the words following, And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.    
The petition consists of these five branches 

1. The first was the cause of his complaint, non calceus urget, it was not his shoe that did wring him, no small matter that did trouble him, but something that went to his very heart, whatsoever it was; propter quod, for this thing.  
2. The second was the remedy or means that he used against this thing that did so trouble him, and that was prayer, Propter quod rogavi, for this thing I besought.  
3. The third was the earnestness or importunity of his prayer, he gave not over until he had an answer, propter quod rogaviter, for this thing I prayed thrice.  
4. The fourth was the Physician upon whom he called to help him, and that was God himself, no other could do it, propter quod ter rogavi Dominum, for this thing I besought the Lord thrice.  
5. The last was the end of his petition, the thing that he did desire, and that was that he might be freed from that which did so afflict him, propter quod rogavi Dominum ter ut discederet à me, for this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might departed from me.    
In the answer I observe these 3. particulars.  
1. First the effect of God's answer, it was a denial, he prayed that the thorn which stuck so fast in his flesh might be plucked out, that the messenger of Satan which buffeted him, might departed from him; but it would not be; he must be content to endure it: and this appears upon the whole answer.  
2. Secondly, God's divine aid against the thing that did so trouble the Apostle, to make him able to encounter the same, and in the end to master it.  
Wherein we have both the nature of this aid, what kind of aid it was, it was his grace, gratia mea, my grace.  
And also the measure and efficacy thereof, there was enough of it, and it was powerful, sufficit tibi, it is sufficient for thee.  
You see then God denied the Apostle that thing which he prayed for, but he gave him another, and a better thing which he did not pray for, and that was his grace.  
3. The reason both of God's denial, to remove that which troubled him; and also of his heavenly aid against the thing whereof he did complain, expressed by God himself in a maxim, or famous sentence in Divinity; which reason is drawn from God's course or way which he takes with his servants in his wisdom, and in his mercy, both for his own glory, and man's eternal good. Nam virtus mea in infirmitate perficitur, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  
These are the several parts and Branches of the Text, and of all these in their order, And first of Saint Paul's Petition to God, and therein I begin with the cause of his complaint, propter quod, for this thing.  
What this thing was in general that troubled this Apostle, he tells us in the verse next before my Text, wherein he describes it two ways: First, by a metaphor or figurative phrase, in respect of the pain and anguish it caused, calling it stimulum in carne, a thorn in his flesh.  
The word in Greek is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a small sharp goad, or prick, against many whereof Saint Paul kicked before his conversion, Acts the ninth, ver. five, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which Tertullian calls sudem, others palum praeacutum, a sharp stake or point of a spear, vel aliquid acuminatum, or any thing that hath a long sharpe end, which sticking in a man's body, causeth an intolerable pain.  
Secondly, he describes it plainly in respect of the Author, framer or contriver of it, and so he calls it Angelum Satanae, the Messenger of Satan, which did buffet him, for God permitted Satan so to do.  
Now two things are certain here; one, that it was Satan's vexation by God's permission; the other, that it did daily afflict him to the very heart.  
So than you see it was no briar, no prickle, no nor no thorn, no small thing, that so troubled the Apostle, but a great matter indeed; but because our English translations call it a thorn in in the flesh; and because we have not a better word in English to express it, I will call it still by that name.  
But now what this thing, this thorn in the flesh was in particular, that's all the doubt indeed, and this is— dignus vindice nodus. And here I must confess I am fallen among thorns, even the various opinions of Divines concerning this thing, which pluck me this way and that way, so that I can sconer find an entrance in, than a passage out.  
Some Divines draw this thorn in the flesh, of which Saint Paul complains, as fare as from Adam's loins, and say it was original concupiscence, which the Apostle calls l●gem in carne, a law in his flesh, in his members, Rom. 7.  
But this conceit is too fare fetched; for first, Original sin is general to all the Regenerate; but Saint Paul complains here of some special thing which happened only to himself.  
Again, Saint Paul knew very well that Original sin could not possibly departed from him, as long as he lived in this world, Rom. 7. but he prayed earnestly that this thing might departed from him.  
Other Divines, with most of the Latin Interpreters, affirm, that this thing which so troubled the Apostle was some sore disease or infirmity of his body, as a continual head ache, or pain in his stomach, or the gout, or the stone, or some such grief which daily afflicted him.  
But this is not likely, for Saint Paul doth not complain in any of his Epistles of any disease or infirmity of his body besides this; such a malady would have been a great impediment to him in the preaching of God's word, & planting of the Gospel of Christ in all Countries, which he could never have done, if he had been continually tormented with any such infirmity of the body.  
The Greek Fathers, with many modern Writers affirm, that this thing, which Saint Paul prayed might departed from him, was his adversaries in general, as Hymeneus and Philetus, whom Satan stirred up against him with contumelies and persecutions to hinder the preaching of the Gospel; but especially and particularly that pestilent adversary of his Alexander the Coppersmith, who did him much evil, and of whom he complains, 2 Tim. 4. and he bids Tumothy to beware of him also; for saith the Apostle, He hath greatly withstood our words.  
It is true indeed, this Alexander was one of Satan's messengers, and his reproaches were Satan's buffet, but he and the rest of the adversaries of the Gospel, were Thorns without his flesh, but Saint Paul complains here of some Thorn in his flesh, some internal affliction that came closer to him.  
But other Divines are of opinion that God did permit some evil Angel of Satan to vex and torment the body of this blessed Apostle, as he did permit Satan to vex and torment the body of holy job, and that this Angel of Satan did buffet St. Paul as one man would buffer another, and bestowed many a black and blue mark upon him.  
Like as Saint Jerome was paid with many a sore blow in an ecstasy, for reading Cicero more than the Bible, when he heard a voice saying unto him, Ciceronianus es, non Christianus, thou art a Ciceronian, thou art no Christian, as Saint Jerome reporteth of himself in an Epistle to Enstochius.  
But now, although this seem to be the plain literal sense of the words, yet I cannot believe that Saint Paul was thus bodily afflicted with any evil spirit by fits, for than he would never have called it stimulum in carne, a thorn so deeply fastened in his flesh; besides, if it had been so, the most heroical Spirit of this Apostle, which was so far above all the buffet of Men and Devils, would not have complained of such a thing, but rather have gloried in it.  
All the Romanists both old and new are not ashamed to affirm that this thing which so troubled the Apostle, was Stimulus libidinis, a temptation and provocation of carnal lust, which Satan stirred up in the flesh, and in his fancy, by such means as he knew very well would do it, against which he did keep his body under, 1 Cor. 9 for if it had been any thing else but this, Saint Paul would have told us plainly what it had been; but now it being a thing whereof he was ashamed, he covered it modestly under the metaphor of a Thorn in his flesh. So Bellarmine in his 2. Book de Monachis, cap 3.  
But Erasmus rightly calls this impurum interpretamentum, an impure interpretation, and wonders that any learned and honest Divine should go about to cast such filth upon the face of Saint Paul, than aged, and very much broken with the labours of his Ministry, and to entertain so unworthy a conceit of so chaste and holy an Apostle.  
Again, Saint Paul had the gift of chastity; I would to God all men were as I myself am, but every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that, 1 Cor. 7. where was then this urging lust?  
But if the Apostle here had been troubled with any such temptation, he knew a very easy and an honest remedy against it, even the same which he gave to others in the like case, Marriage.  
What shall we say then? what thing was this that did so trouble him? Why certainly in the judgement of the most orthodox Divines, who go to the very root of my Text, it was some terior of Satan, some internal and spiritual temptation in his soul, and a very sore one whatsoever it was.  
And when St. Paul saith it was in carne, in his flesh, he means in the outward man, in the unregenerate part of the soul, as in the seventh to 〈…〉  
Although a continual temptation or affliction in the conscience, may also be said to be in the flesh, per modum redundantia & participationis, by way of participation and redundancy, because the flesh in such a case becomes pale and wan, and pines away.  
The best conjecture of all is this, that God did permit Satan to present always before the conscience of this Apostle his former blasphemies, persecutions and cruelties against Christ and his Church, and to ring always in his ears that voice, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  
God's purpose herein being to keep Saint Paul from spiritual pride with which he might easily have swollen through the abundance of Revelations of the Lord; but Satan's policy herein was to weaken and shake the Apostles confidence in Christ.  
But this thorn is hid so deep in the flesh that I will search after it no further, but content myself with Saint Austin's docta ignorantia, learned ignorance in this, who ingeniously confesseth that he knew not particularly what this thing was which so troubled this Apostle, but sure he was, it was some sore temptation or other affliction; and in this all Divines agree.  
You see then here, that an Apostle, and such an Apostle as Saint Paul was, and after so many Visions and Revelations of the Lord, had a thorn in the flesh given him, a sore affliction from God; and no marvel, for the better the man, the sharper and the deeper the thorn: it must be so.  
As the Church of God in general, so every child of God in his Church, is sicut lilium inter spinas, as a lily among thorns 2. Cant. 2. the thorns of troubles and afflictions.  
Non decet sub spinoso capite membrum esse delicatum, saith Saint Bernard, he is not worthy to be a member of the mystical body of Christ, upon whose glorious head was plaited a crown of many thorns for the sins of other men, who cannot endure the pricking of one thorn, some light affliction, if not for his Saviour's sake, yet for his own sins.  
Hath our blessed Saviour drank so deep of the cup of afflictions before us, and for us, and shall we be unwilling to pledge him a little, to sip after him in the same cup? Qui erat sine flagitio, non erat sine flagello.  
Since God spared not his own and only begotten Son who was without all spot of sin, but delivered him up for us all, shall we who are but his adopted sons, and altogether sinful, think to escape without any chastisement at all? No, no, the Lord chasteneth every Son whom he receiveth, and therefore qui non est in numero flagellatorum, non est in numero filiorum, saith St. Austin, He that is without chastisement is a bastard, and not a son, Heb. 12.8.  
Give me the man, saith St. Ambrose, that was never troubled with any thorn of temptation or affliction, and I will presently conclude, that that man is not the child of God; for every child of God must have something, one affliction or other to humble him, and to bring him home to God, in which he must take pleasure, and rejoice as St. Paul did.  
We must not think to go à deliciis ad delicias, saith St. jerom, immediately from the pleasures of this world, to the joys of the next: The children of Israel went not through gardens of flowers, and Paradises of fruits, but through uncouth deserts to the land of Candan; this was a type of our pilgrimage through the afflictions of this world to the heavenly Canaan.  
Afflictions are the infallible arguments and to ken of God's favour unto us; and therefore one who had been a great while without any affliction, said in his Prayer to God, ergóne Domine non sun dignus qui patiar, is it so Lord, and I so much out of thy favour that I am not worthy of affliction?  
What a large Catalogue doth St. Paul reckon up of his afflictions in the eleventh Chapter of this Epistle, In stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft: Of the jews five times received I forty stripes save one, thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep; in journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own Countrymen, in perils by the Heathen, in perils in the City, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and painfulness, in watch often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. I am almost out of breath in rehearsing them, and yet the Apostle was never out of breath in enduring them.  
But here was his comfort, and here is ours also: All the afflictions of the servants of God, they are but stimuli, the prickings of thorns, they are but colaphi the buffet causing shame and smart only, they are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gentle punisnments of a loving father: We are troubled, but not altogether distressed, perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed, 2 Cor. 4.8.9.  
O welcome then, yea thrice welcome to our souls these bitter sweets, loving chastisements, gentle corrections, indulgent visitations, pleasant crosses, comfortable sorrows, wholesome calamities, profitable miseries, sanctifying distresses, refining troubles, joyful temptations, glorious trials, blessed revile, happy curses, honourable reproaches, all light and momentary afflictions, which work for us a fare more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17.  
By these we are humbled, and seek right early unto our God.  
By these we are put in remembrance to sorrow for our sinnea past.  
By these we become more careful of our ways hereafter.  
By these God's graces are exercised in us, and our patience, our faith and our love are tried.  
By these we are weaned from the pleasures and vanities of this life.  
By these we are prepared and fitted for the world to come.  
By these our desires are inflamed to be dissolved and to be with Christ.  
By these we are encouraged to embrace death with both our arms: and therefore David said unto God, I know that of very faithfulness, that is in thy faithful love to methou haste caused me to be troubled, Psal. 119. verse 75.  
I have been the longer upon this first branch, the thing which troubled the Apostle, because it is the thing upon which the whole frame of my Text doth turn, I will therefore be the shorter in the rest.  
But what did the Apostle here when the thorn of affliction began to vex him? Why, he went presently to his prayers, the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sovereign medicine to draw out the thorn of any temptation or affliction whatsoever. For this thing rogavi I besought, which is the second branch of the petition, and comes in the next place to be handled.  
Is any man afflicted, let him pray, this was St. james his precept in the fifth Chapter of his Epistle, verse 13. and this was David's practice, In my distress I called upon the Lord, and complained unto my God, Psal. 18. yea God himself says, we will be sure to pray unto him when we are in trouble, whatsoever we do at other times; For in their affliction they will seek me early, Hos. 5.15.  
We use to make prayer the last remedy and refuge only in our extremities, when all other means fail, then to our prayers, but it ought to be the first too, for God is a very present help in trouble, saith David, Psal. 46.1. other helps are not always at hand, but God's help is.  
But will not God help us without our prayers? No, and why so? First, because prayer is a part of the worship and service of God, which we own unto him: The great men of the world will not bestow their favours, nor grant deliverances until they be petitioned, and shall the great God of heaven and earth bestow his blessings and show his mercy upon us without our prayers? Secondly, because our prayers show our confidence in God's power and providence, in his mercy and love: A father can give his beloved son all that he wants without his prayers, but he will not, because he delights to have him sue to him.  
Yea but God's decrees are immutable, and his will is unchangeable, how then can our prayers incline him this way or that way? Thus indeed have wicked wits reasoned against prayer; but it is a true and a well known rule, subordinata non pugnant inter se, things which are subordinate are not contrary one to the other; and such are Gods decrees and our prayers, as God hath ordained the end, so hath he ordained the means; now Gods purposes are not hindered by our prayers, but rather executed, and our prayers are as it were the midwives to deliver them, and the second causes and means to effect his decrees; Christ knew that all those things which he prayed for would be granted before he prayed; but yet he prayed for them.  
But now as our prayers in affliction must be fervent, so must they be frequent too, and therefore the Apostle prayed often, ter, thrice, that this thing, this affliction might departed from him; which is the third branch of this Petition.  
A medicine must be often applied, otherwise it will not work the cure; here is a certain number for an uncertain, thrice for often, as ter beatus, thrice happy, is very happy, so when the Apostle said here, ter rogavi, I prayed thrice, he means often, or very much, importunately, even until the Lord answered him.  
Is thy prayer denied the first and the second time? why then, it is very likely thou hast made some fault in thy prayer: Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, saith St. james, james 4.3. go to it therefore the third time, and by often praying thou shalt find out the error of thy prayer.  
If God hear thee not in thine affliction at the first and second knock, it is to prove thy patience, thy faith and thy love: Ostium Coeli forsitan proptere● clausum est ut ta fortiùs pulses, Heaven gate is therefore perhaps shut that thou mayst knock the longer and the louder, give not over knocking then until the door be opened.  
Magna beneficia magnis precibus sunt comparanda, great blessings are not to be obtained but with importunate prayers.  
Did the unrighteous Judge in the Gospel yield at last to the importunate prayer of the widow? And shall not the righteous Judge of heaven and earth, think ye, yield to the importunate prayers of his own dear servants in their afflictions?  
The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force: what force? Why the force of prayer, & haec vis Deo grata, saith Tertullian, and this violence is most pleasing unto Go●▪  
Vincunt invincibilem ligant omnipotentem, our frequent and importunate prayers overcame him that is invincible, and bind him who is omnipotent.  
But if our love and obedience to God cannot excite us to this frequency of prayer, yet I am sure the thorn of affliction will urge us to call often upon the Lord, who is our only refuge in time of trouble, rogavi Dominum, I prayed unto the Lord, etc. which is the first branch of this Petition.  
We have neither precept nor practice in all the canonical Scriptures for praying to any other in heaven but only unto the Lord. Whom have I in heaven but thee, said David, Psal. 73.25. but the Papists are not of David's Religion in this point, for they have their St. Franc is and St. Bennet, and thousands more in heaven, whom they pray unto besides the Lord, nay they have almost for every several kind of evil a several Saint; they pray unto their Saint Apollonia against the toothache, to their Saint Petronella against a fever, to their Saint Roch against the plague, to their Saint Liberius against the stone, to their Saint Nicholas against a tempest at sea, to their St. Leonard against bonds and imprisonment, and to other Saints against the like evils, as Cornelius a lapide, one of their own writers, is not ashamed to confess in his Commentaries upon the second Chapter of Saint Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews. He must be a good Arithmetician that can reckon up the names of all their Saints, upon whom they call when they are in any trouble or danger, thus they dishonour God, and rob him of his worship by their superstitious invocation of Saints departed, who cannot hear nor help them.  
That same cantlike argument of the Romanists, that we must not, or we should not presume to go immediately to a King with our petitions, but we must first make our way by a Master of Requests or by a favourite, doth not deserve a scholarlike answer; for God is is every where, and his ears are open to our prayers, and he knoweth the thoughts of our hearts long before they are thought, and he hath no other Master of Requests, but the Spirit itself to make intercession for us, no other favourite to present out prayers but his dear Son and our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, who is our Advocate at the right hand of God. And so I come to the end of Saint Paul's Petition, which was, that the thing which did so trouble him might go away from him,  discederet à me, that it might departed from me.  
Afflictions in themselves are unpleasing and contrary to our nature; and therefore in themselves not to be wished for or desired, but to be borne with patience, comfortand joy, when God sends them, as being profitable for us.  
As medicines in physic which are made of corrected poisons are very good for us, and therefore we are willing to take them, but we would not have them stay with us, but when they have done their work, we would have them departed from us, it is even so with our afflictions.  
But in the mean time, although these thorns of affliction be not presently plucked out, these messengers of Satan do not strait way departed from us, yet they shall never make us despair of God's goodness and mercy, neither shall they vex us for ever.  
Accepit diabolus tentandi licentiam sed non accepit subruendi capiam, saith Saint Ambrose, although Satan have leave to tempt us, yet he hath not power to overcome us, for there shall no temptation 〈◊〉 affliction take us, but such as is common to man, humane and moderate, so indulgent is God to his children, for God is faithful, and will not suffer us to be tempted or afflicted above that we are able to bear, but when the temptation is at the highest, when the affliction is at the worst, God will make an issue that we may escape, 1 Cor. 10.13. The bush that Moses saw, burned, but was not consumed, Exod. 3. The ship wherein Christ and his Disciples were was covered with waves, but yet it did not sink, Matth. 8. And when Peter was walking upon the sea, and ready to be drowned, than Christ put forth his hand and saved him, Matth. 14. God suffereth his servants many times to come to the very brink of destruction, and then he delivereth them.  
Dejicit ut erigat, vulnerat ut sanet, ut pressura ver●●tur in gratiam & afflictio in coronam, God hath to the us, but he will heal us, he hath smitten us, but he will bind us up again, Hosea 6.1.  
I have seen in my experience divers of the servants of God, sometimes by the violence of a fever, sometimes by the damp of melancholy, and sometimes by Satan's temptations brought even to the gates of hell, who have reasoned very eloquently and strongly against their own salvation, and that for many days together, even to the approaching of death; (and upon persons in the like case, we must take heed we do not pass any rash judgement, but impute their despairing speeches unto the distemper of their brains, or unto the sway of their temptations, and not unto the desertion of grace:) And yet in the end how have they been raised up again, how have they been restored, according to the words of the Psalmist, in the multitude of the sorrows which I had in my heart, thy comforts have refreshed my soul, Psal. 94.19. I have done with Saint Paul's petition, I come to God's answer, which is my second general part. And therein I observed first Gods denial.  
Saint Paul had an answer to his Petition after many prayers, and in it a denial; and this did not a little satisfy him that he had an answer, though it were a denial. For many times the long and perhaps endless expectation of an answer is more grievous than a denial. Et dixit mihi, and he said unto me.  
But how God did answer Saint Paul here, whether immediately by himself, or mediately by an Angel, whether by Vision or Revelation, whether by lively speech, or by the secret inspiration of his blessed Spirit, Saint Paul hath not told us here, and therefore we must not be curious to inquire.  
It is enough for us to know that God did answer the Apostles, but as for the manner of the answer it is not for us to dispute it.  
Well then the answer for the effect thereof was a denial; the Apostle prayed often that the thorn of affliction which did so trouble him might be plucked out, but it would not be; but yet he shall have an antidote against the anguish thereof, My grace is sufficient for thee.  
A natural man would marvel that St. Paul's complaint, being so lamentable, and his desire so reasonable, God should deny the importunate prayers of his own servant, an Apostle, and give him a repulse.  
Exauditur diabolus petens jobum tentandum, & non exauditur Paulus petens stimulum removendum, saith Saint Austin, Satan desired leave of God to tempt job, and it was presently granted him, the Apostle prayed often to God that the meslenger of Satan might departed from him, and it was denied him, this seems to be a strange thing: but yet neither did S. Paul displease God with his prayer, neither was God unmerciful to him in his denial; for although God did not grant St. Paul that thing which he prayed for, yet he granted him a better thing which he prayed not for; and this is God's fashion many times to his own children. Non semper exaudit nos ad voluntatem nostram, sed semper exaudit nos ad utilitatem nostram, saith S. Austin, God doth not always hear us according to our wills, but he doth always hear us for our good.  
A father denieth a knife to his young child, because he knows he may quickly hurt himself therewith, and yet he denies it him in love.  
God is our Physician, and he will not give us cold drink when we are sick of an ague, though we beg never so much for it. Coelestis medicus non facit voluntatem, ut faciat sanitatem, our heavenly Physician will not do always that which pleaseth us, but which helpeth us. I have done with the denial. I come now to the divine aid which God gave Saint Paul against the thing which did so trouble him, wherein the first thing I observed, is the nature and quality thereof, it was his Grace, Gratia mea, my Grace is sufficient for thee.  
This life gins and ends in Grace, the other gins in Glory, but never ends: Grace is the preparation to Glory, and Glory is the reward of Grace, but let us see what Grace of God this was whereof the Lord spoke unto the Apostle, for there is a twofold Grace of God.  
First, there is Gratia Dei extra nos, the Grace of God without us, even in God himself, which is the eternal love and favour of God whereby he loved us and elected us in Christ Jesus unto eternal life before the foundation of the world was laid, Ephes. 1. And here by the way I cannot but observe the ungracious deal of the Romish Schoolmen with this grace of God, which is the fountain of all our happiness, they never discuss nor handle it at large in their disputations, they only name it and so away, we never find them magnifying this grace of God as they ought to do; what's the reason? Because it makes against their proud doctrines of election for good works foreseen, and of justification by good works done.  
Now some Divines understand the answer of God here of this grace of God, which if a man have, he is safe enough from the hurt and danger of all temptations and afflictions whatsoever: Deus meus & omnia, saith Saint Austin, give me the love and favour of my God, and I have all things: But now although this grace of God be here first meant, yet this grace alone is not here meant.  
Secondly, there is Gratia dei intra nos, the grace of God within us, as all the gifts of Gods holy Spirit in us which are truly called Gods graces, because they are the fruits and effects of that eternal Grace, the love and favour of God towards in Christ; now of this grace also infused into the soul of a Christian man is the answer of God here to the Apostle, as that by which he was to wrestle with, and in the end to overcome the thing that did so trouble him; of this grace, Saint Peter speaketh, We are kept by the power of God unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5. What power? Why the power of this grace: and from what are we kept? Why from the hurt of all temptations and afflictions whatsoever; this grace was St. Paul's token in all his Epistles which he writ always with his own hand, 2 Thes. 3.17.  
This is the precious jewel and ornament of the soul of man, and as the soul is the life of the body, so this grace is the life of the soul.  
This stirreth us up to all goodness, and restraineth us from evil; this keeps us from pride in prosperity, and from despair in adversity, this supports us against all temptations, and comforts us in all woe and distress, this makes all our weak endeavour acceptable with God, and without this all our best actions are but splendida peccata, glittering sins.  
It is not the grace of the body that can do us any good, for it is but vanity, nor the grace of the world that can help us, for it is deceitful, faith Solomon, Prov. 31.30. and in the end will deceive her greatest favourites. All the grace of the world is not able to keep a man from the least fit of an ague, much less from a fore temptation or affliction, and when a man lies upon his death bed, and Satan gins to tempt him, what good can all the grace of the world then do him?  
With this grace of God we are equal to the Angels of God in heaven; but without this grace we are worse than Toads and Serpents, and the worst of all God's creatures, yea we are as bad, if not worse than the Devils in hell: although we make never so fair a show in the world: O then, let us pray for this grace which no chance can despoil us of, which no man, no creature can take from us, which never faileth us, but continueth with us for ever, Psal. 103. For whom God loveth, he loveth unto the end, joh. 13. And so I come to the measure and efficacy of this grace, sufficit tibi, it is sufficient for thee.  
Sufficiency is a word of mediocrity between two extremes, want and abundance; for where there is sufficient, there is neither too much nor too little.  
And here we may admire the wisdom of God, who is liberimum agens, a most free agent, & doth not work like a natural agent, the sun shines, the fire burns, the water moistens, quoad ultimam sphaeram activitatis, according to their uttermost abilities to bring forth their effects; but God giveth his grace unto every one of us according to the measure of the gift of Christ, as seemeth best unto himself, Eph. 4.7. bestowing such a proportion of Grace upon all, as is sufficient for all.  
For with God is an ocean of grace, there is grace enough for you, and for me, and for us all, and for as many worlds of men as God can make.  
And God doth give unto every one of his servants that sufficiency of his grace whereby they shall be able to overcome all temptations and afflictions, and save their own souls.  
Wherefore then let us not murmur against God, if we attain not unto that abundance of grace wherewith the Apostles, and many other Servants of God have been endued above us; they have had the plentiful showers of God's graces; but we will be content with the dew of his grace; they have had the full sheaves of God's graces, but we will be glad of the glean of his grace; they have had the rich banquet of God's graces, but we will think ourselves happy, if we may have but the crumbs of his grace; for if we have but sufficiency of grace here, we shall have abundance of glory hereafter.  
It is with Grace as it was with Manna, he that hath much, hath nothing over, and he that hath little, hath no lack, because he hath that which is sufficient for him.  
And every grace of God that is sufficient, is also effectual, and the efficacy of grace is from itself, not from the will of man; & therefore God in his answer here unto Saint Paul, doth not say, gratia mea sufficit tecum, my grace is sufficient with thee, but gratia mea sufficit tibi, my grace is sufficient for thee; for we are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing that is good, but our sufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3.5. and therefore we must take heed we do not part stakes between God's grace and man's will, as the Papists do, but we must ascribe all this sufficiency to the grace of God, for it is he which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure, Philip. 2. 1●.  
And therefore let us be covetous after nothing but this sufficient grace of God, let us pray that we may have grace enough, and then we shall have all things enough. It is a true maxim in Divinity, there is nothing that can suffice the heart of man, but only God's grace; where shall you find the man that saith truly and from his heart he hath enough: When he hath a house he saith, O that I had a little land to it: And when he hath that: He saith, O that I had a Lordship to it, and when he hath that, he saith, O that I had the Manor that is next to it, or this Office, or that Honour, or one thing or other more; and still as the world grows upon him, his desires grow upon the world, his enough changeth always, every year, nay every day, nay every hour he thinks upon another enough; but let a man have grace enough, and he hath all things enough, for God's grace is alsufficient.  
This sufficient grace makes a penny seem to be as big as a shilling, a cottage seem to be as fair as a Palace, a prison seem to be as large as a Country, want seem to be abundance, and nothing to be all things: This sufficient grace makes us rich in poverty, patiented in adversity, strong in weakness, merry in affliction, and hopeful in despair.  
And this grace is sufficient for us against all the assaults of the world, the flesh and the devil, against all troubles and afflictions whatsoever: and although God could let his sufficient grace overcome all our temptations, all our afflictions at first in a moment, yet he will not have it so, for God will have his graces to be exercised in us, tolle pugnam & non erit victoria, tolle victoriam & non erit corona, saith Saint Ambrose, if there were no conflict between our temptations, and God's grace, there would be no victory, and if no victory, no price: sometimes Amaleck, that is afflictions and temptations prevail, and sometimes Israel, that is grace prevaileth.  Victores victique cadunt, victique resurgunt. 
But in the end grace always hath the upper hand, and we are more than conquerors through him that loved us, Rom. 8.37.  
Be not then dismayed, O thou Christian soul, whosoever thou art, be not disquieted within thyself, because thou art fallen into a sore temptation, because thou art under an heavy affliction! what, wouldst thou be better than St. Paul?  
Vide Apostolum patientem & noli te facere desperantem, saith Saint Austin, behold the Apostle suffering, and despair not; nay behold Christ himself, who was tempted and afflicted, that he might secure us when we are tempted and afflicted, Heb. 2.18. let us behold him then with a lively faith and sure confidence, and he will so secure us with his sufficient grace,  nec caro cum omnibus oblectamentis, nec mundus cum omnibus tormentis, nec Diabolus cum omnibus tentamentis, etc. as Saint Bernard speaks, that neither the flesh with all her allurements, nor the world with all its persecutions, nor the Devil with all his temptations shall ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  
I should now proceed to the third particular I observed in God's answer, which is the reason, For my power is made perfect in weakness: but I know I have already overspent my time, and your patience; and therefore I will leave it to the next opportunity. In the mean time let us commend that which hath been spoken unto the blessing of Almighty God our heavenly Father, etc.  
The end of the first Sermon.   

The second SERMON.  The Text. 2 COR. 12. and part of the ninth VERSE. For my power is made perfect in weakness. 
THe coherence of these words with the former, is this, Saint Paul was troubled with a sore temptation, or some other affliction whatsoever it was, and he prayed often unto God that it might go away from him: For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might departed from me.  
Unto this Petition God gave him an answer, And he said unto me; and in this answer a loving denial (for the Apostles good) of that which he prayed for, but he gave him a better thing which he prayed not for, and that was his heavenly aid to make him able to encounter, and in the end to overcome the thing that did so afflict him, My grace is sufficient for thee.  
So fare I have already preached unto you upon this Text, and of that which I have delivered here, I will repeat nothing; for I love not to say that twice in the same place, and in the same auditory, which perhaps was not worth the hearing once.  
I proceed now according to my promise, to finish that which is behind, and to handle the reason which God gives, why the thing must not departed from him which did so trouble him, and why he must wrestle with it to master it: Nam virtus mea in infirmitate perficitur, for my power is made perfect in weakness.  
And let no man doubt of the truth of this reason, for God himself hath said it with his own mouth, as the Apostle tells us; and it is a truth, not of a mean or ordinary matter, but of a very high point indeed, of a famous maxim or sentence in Divinity, full of deep and divine mysteries, wherein you may behold the way which God hath always taken, and doth still take with men, especially with his Church, and in this way of God you shall see his Wisdom and his. Goodness, both for his own glory and man's eternal bliss.  
The Axiom here is general, it is of power in general, and it is of weakness in general, but of whose power doth the Text speak? Why certainly of Gods, for man's power is not perfected in weakness, as by and by you shall hear, and therefore the vulgar Latin translation is defective here, which leaves out the pronoun mea; and reads only thus, Virtus in infirmitate perficitur, for power is made perfect in weakness, whereas the Greek Text hath the pronoun also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, my power is made perfect in weakness.  
And of whose weakness doth God here speak? Why certainly of man's, and of the creatures; for there can be no weakness in God. Well then you see I must handle this power in general, and this weakness in general. But when I come to that particular kind of weakness under which Saint Paul did labour here, than I will apply that particular kind of the power of God which is proper for the same, that you may see how God's power was perfected in the Apostles weakness.  
But here is a strange 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, conjuncture and mixture both of contrary words and matter; here is power, and here is weakness, here is God's power, and here is man's weakness, both together in one subject; nay more, here is God's power made perfect in the weakness of man.  
Doth the Sun appear glorious in an eclipse? is it not rather, when he shineth in his strength? is the beauty and majesty of a Queen set forth in beggars rags, or vile raiment? is it not rather in a vesture of gold wrought about with divers colours.  
Can a candle give so clear a light to all that are in the house thorough a Lantern, as when it is set open upon a candlestick? Doth a Diamond or other precious stone yield so proper and kindly a lustre lying bare upon a trey, or set in a wooden ring, as it doth when it is set in gold, and worn in the ear, or upon the breast? In like manner is God's strength glorious in weakness? is it not rather in might? Can his power be increased or diminished? is not his power perfect in itself? how then can it be perfected in the weakness of man, or of any other creature? it is true indeed, the strength of man is made perfect in might, for as the man is, so is his strength, as the two Kings of Midian said to Gideon, and that truly, Judg. 8.21. And therefore julius Caesar, and Alexander the Great before him, wished for most valiant and puissant enemies to encounter with, that they might show their warlike strength the more against their enemy's power, and so make their victories the more glorious. But now contrarily the power of God is made perfect in weakness. How? not essentially, for his power is ever perfect in itself, but occasionally, because it is illustrated, and set forth in the weakness of the creature, and so made known unto men, as the Apostle speaks, Rom. 9.22. As they that are truly patiented, are always patiented, but their patience is then most conspicuous and illustrious when they are in their greatest sufferings. Well then, it is a familiar custom with God to accomplish his greatest works by the weakest instruments, and the most contemptible means, nay many times by contraries, as anon you shall hear.  
But for the further opening of this point which I observe upon the whole frame of my text, to wit, the conjuncture of God's power and man's weakness, both together, at one and the same time in the same subject, and of the perfecting of the one in the other, you shall see it plainly in Gods own children almost thorough the whole course of their lives.  

When we are weak, then are we strong.  
When we are poor, then are we rich.  
When we are fools, then are we wise.  
When we are miserable, then are we happy.  
When we are unknown, then are we well known.  
When we are despised, then are we honourable.  
When we are simple, then are we prudent.  
When we are humble, then do we boast.  
When we are besides ourselves, then are we sober.  
When we must please no man, then must we please all men.  
When we must care for nothing, then must we provide all things.  
When we have nothing, then do we possess all things.  
When we are here in earth, then are we in heaven.  
When we can do nothing, then can we do all things.  
When we are sorrowful, then do we rejoice.  
When we are mortified, then are we quickened.  
When we are dead, then are we alive.  
When we would do evil, then would we do good.  
When we lose our lives, then do we find them.  
When we are sinners, then are we righteous.   
These mixtures of power and infirmity are riddles and paradoxes indeed to flesh & blood, to nature reason, and a natural man cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned; but they are Evangelicall Axioms, yea they are principles of Faith and Religion to us that are Christians, and they are verified in us without any contradiction at all, as you shall hear.  
When we are weak in body by reason of sickness, or any distress, then are we strong in the Lord, and in the Spirit of his might unto all patience with joyfulness, Eph. 6.10. Colos. 1.11.  
When we are poor in spirit, even in the inmost recesses of the soul to the acknowledgement of our own unworthiness and wickedness, then are we rich in Faith, and then do we make many rich in Christ, jam. 2.5. 2 Cor. 6.10.  
When we are fools in the opinion of the world, then are we wise in God unto salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15.  
When we are miserable in enduring afflictions and reproaches, then are we happy, being thereby tried and made fit for heaven, Rev. 2.10.  
When we are unknown to the world, then are we well known and approved of God and good men, 1 Cor. 8.3. Rom. 14.18.  
When we are despised of wantoness and profane persons, then are we precious and honourable in God's sight, Esay 43.4. and before his holy Angels, who rejoice at our repentance, Luke 15.10. and also in the eyes of all upright and just men, Psal. 15.4.  
When we are simple concerning evil, then are we prudent and wise unto that which is good, Rom. 16.19.  
When we are humble in ourselves before God and men, then do we boast and glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, Gal. 6.14. and also in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake, in the tenth verse of this Chapter.  
When we are besides ourselves in any heavenly ecstasy or divine rapture, and contemplation of God's goodness, mercy and love to us, which Saint Bernard calls sanam & sanctam quandam insaniam, a sound and an holy kind of madness, which Moses and Peter and Paul had, then are we sober in ourselves and towards men, 2 Cor. 5.13.  
When we must please no man by flattery or for our own ends, then must we please all men in all things (that are good) for their edification, that they may be saved, Rom. 15.2. 1 Cor. 10.33.  
When we must be careful for nothing inordinately and immoderately, and with distrust, then must we provide all things, honest in the sight of men, 2 Cor. 8.21. 1 Tim. 5.8.  
When we have nothing of this worlds upon which we set our hearts and desires, then do we possess all things in contentment, 2 Cor. 6.10.  
When we are here in earth in our persons, then are we in heaven in our conversation, Phil. 3.20.  
When we can do nothing of ourselves, then can we do all things through Christ that strengtheneth us, Phil. 4.13. what, all things indeed that can be done? No, but all things necessary and fit for us to do.  
When we are sorrowful for our distresses, then do we rejoice in the Lord, 2 Cor. 6.10. Phil. 4.4. that is in his protection, in his favour, in his promises, and in his service; yea when ye are sorrowful for our sins, then do we rejoice in our repentance, 2 Cor. 7.10.  
When we are mortified in the flesh, then are we quickened in our mortal bodies by the Spirit, Rom. 8.11.13.  
When we are dead unto sins, then do we live unto righteousness, 1 Pet. 2.24.  
When we would do evil by the suggestion of the old man, than would we do good by the motions of the new man, Rom 7.19.  
When we lose our lives for Christ's sake and the Gospels here in this world, then do we save them in the world to come, Mark 9.35.  
When we are sinners in ourselves, then are we righteous before God in Christ, being justified freely by his grace, Rom. 3.24. and having the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, Rom. 4.5.8. And so having taken a general view of the Text, I come to a particular survey thereof, My power is made perfect in weakness.  
The power of God is one and the same in itself, but it is divers to us, in respect of the several objects, and matters wherein it doth operate; and in this sense, I find three kinds of the power of God in the Scriptures, and but three  
First, there is virtus brachii the power of God's arm, whereof we read in the 20. Psalm, and the 6. verse, in the 51. of Esay, and the 9 and in the 27. of jeremy, and the 5. and everywhere almost in the Scriptures.  
Secondly, there is virtus gratiae, the power of God's grace, which Saint Paul calls in the verse next after my text, the power of Christ: of which we read everywhere almost in the Epistles of the Apostles.  
Thirdly, there is virtus gloriae, the power of God's glory, or his glorious power, 2 Thess. 1.9. which shall be showed in the world to come.  
But the weakness of the creature, especially of man, is manifold, yea of infinite variety, but I may reduce all unto these three several heads or sorts; the weakness of nature, the weakness of sufferings now, and the weakness of corruption, of consumption, and as it were of annihilation after death.  
Now under these three kinds of power exercised by God, and under these three heads of weakness appearing in man, I will comprise all my ensuing meditations upon this text. And I will show first, that the power of God's arm is made perfect in the weakness of the creature in general, but particularly of man's nature. Secondly, that the power of God's grace is made perfect in the weakness of man's sufferings here in this life. Thirdly, that the power of God's glory is made perfect in the weakness of corruption, consumption, and annihilation, by the resurrection of the body out of the dust of the earth, unto life eternal. I begin with the first.  
The power of God's arm is made perfect in the weakness of the creature in general, and particularly of man's nature.  
Virtus mea, etc. My power is made perfect in weakness.  
God made man (the masterpiece of all his Creation) not of any precious stone, nor of gold, or silver oar, nor of brass, or any other metal, nor of a rock, nor of oak, or any other tree, nor of any fruit or flower, but of vile and dull earth, yea ex pulvere terrae, of the very dust of the earth, Gen. 2.7. the basest and barrenest part of the earth. Why so? to show his power the more in man's weakness, and to teach us not to glory, or to put any confidence in dust.  
What miraculous things did God work by Moses rod, a plain stick, a Shepherd's staff, which he carried in his hand the wilderness to rule his sheep with, which Moses afterward called virgam Dei, the rod of God, Exod. 4.20. and all this was to show the power of God's hand in the weakness of a small contemptible piece of Wood  
When the walls of the City of Jericho fell down flat only with the blast of the trumpets of Rams horns, and with the shout of 〈◊〉 people, Ios. 6.20. Was not the power of God's arm showed in weakness?  
It had been an easy matter for Samson alone in his great strength quickly to have killed many thousands with a sword in his hand; but when he slew a thousand men only with the jaw bone of an Ass, which he found by chance, and all before he cast it away out of his hand, judg. 15.15. Then God shown indeed the strength of his own arm in weakness.  
When Elias with his mantle divided the waters of Jordan hither and thither, and made a dry walk for himself and his servant to pass thorough the River, 2 King 2.8. and when the bones of Elizeus raised a dead man unto life again, 2 King. 13.21. (whose corpse was cast in haste into the Sepulchre of the Prophet) and that as soon as ever the dead body did but touch the dead Prophet's bones, did not God manifest the power of his hand in the weakness of those things?  
God made young Daniel and his three companions fairer and fatter in flesh, with nothing but pulse and water, than all the children of their sort were with the daily provision of the King's meat and of his wine, Dan. 1.15.  
The New Testament affords as many demonstrations of this maxim as the Old, how that God hath perfected the power of his Arm in poor inconsiderable and contemptible things: by the touchonly of the hem of Christ's garment, all diseases were perfectly cured, Matth. 14.36. nay with handkerchiefs that were brought from Saint Paul's body, not only diseases, but evil spirits departed from men, Acts 19.12. nay with the very shadow of Peter passing through the streets of Jerusalem, sick folk were healed, Acts 5.15. Nay more, God hath showed the power of his hand in the weakness not only of contemptible, but also of contrary things; for Christ opened the eyes of one that was borne blind with clay and spittle, john 9.6.11. enough to have put out his eyes if he could have seen well before, nam lutum & sputum quid adoculum, saith Saint Austin.  
And here by the way I cannot but observe how the Papists abuse and dishonour this power of God's hand, by transferring the honour due to God, unto the weakness of the creature, by their gross superstition and idolatry, in the veneration and worship of relics; and unto their superstition in practice, they add error in doctrine: for they teach that there is an inherent virtue in those things wherein God once shown the power of his hand, whereas indeed there is none at all, no more than there is in a course canvasse bag, after the gold is all poured out. And unto their error they add imposture, for they deceive people with counterfeit relics: and unto their imposture they add filthy lucre, for the great Demetrius of Rome, and his craftsmen make great gain by their relics.  
And unto their cursed gain they add their temptations of God's power, by their superstitious addresses unto their relics, expecting miracles, and cures, and helps from them. But I leave them with their relics, and proceed to show you how God hath not only perfected the power of his arm in the weakness of the creatures below man, but also and especially in the weakness of man himself.  
Who would ever have thought that Moses, an infant, exposed to destruction in an ark of bulrushes, should afterwards have been the deliverer of all God's people? Who would ever have imagined that joseph being sold for a bondslave to strange Merchants, should afterwards have been Lord over all Egypt? Who would ever have believed that David, the youngest of his father's sons, of whom little or no account at all was made, and therefore his father brought him not with the rest of his brethren to the sacrifice, but left him in the field with his sheep: I say, who would ever have believed that he should have been called immediately from following the Ewes great with young, and have been anointed King over Israel, and have changed his shepherd's crook for a royal Sceptre? but this was the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. And we have seen by experience, that God hath raised up mean men's sons to be very great instruments of his glory, both in Church and Commonwealth, according to the saying of David, God raiseth the poor out of the dust, and the needy out of the dunghill, that he may set him with Princes, even with the Princes of his people, Psal. 113.7.8.  
But the power of God's arm was then made perfect indeed, in the weakness of man, beyond all admiration, in the resurrection of our blessed Saviour from the dead.  
Cumfactor mundi factus est in mundo, when he that made the world was made in the world, when the Potter was made of his own clay, when he that is immense was shut up in the Virgin's womb, when the ancient of days was not a day old, when eternity began in time, when the Word was made Flesh, an infant and could not speak; when the incarnate God, God and Man in one person, did hunger and thirst, and was weary, and slept, and wept, and was sorrowful, and suffered pains, and was crucified and died, and was buried; then was he Deus verè absconditus, a hidden God indeed, as the Prophet speaks, Esay 45.15. then was the power of his arm hidden in the weakness of man.  
But when he risen again from the dead, than was he declared to be the Son of God with power, Rom. 1.4. then was the power of his arm made perfect, manifested and openly showed in the weakness of flesh.  
When Christ was dead and laid in his grave, and the stone was sealed, ne mors exire aut vita intrare possit, as Chrysologus irronically speaks of the chief Priests and Pharisees, least death should chance to steal out, or life happen to creep in, the Devils thought all was cock sure, they did even laugh to themselves, and dance as it were upon the Sepulchre for joy, singing their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and triumphant songs, surely he is now so low, that he can never rise again; then, even than did he rise again from the dead, and perfect the power of his arm in the greatest weakness of humane nature. Gemina virtus & revixit, & praedixit, saith Chrysologus: here was a double power, he did not only rise from the dead, but he foretold that he would rise.  
It was a great power for a living man to raise a dead body to life again, as Peter did Dorcas, Acts 9 but it was a greater power for a dead body to raise up a dead body to life, as the bones of the dead Prophet Elisha the dead man that was cast in haste, and by chance into his grave, 2 Kings 13.7. but it was the greatest power of all for a dead man to raise up himself unto life again, and so did Christ, and so did never any but Christ, neither shall any ever do it again; he only had power to lay down his life, and he only had power to take it up again, john 10. and he risen again from the dead, nunquam moriturus never to die any more, death hath no more dominion over him; so than I may truly say with Saint Austin, Non babuit divinitas quò se demitteret humiliùs neque habuit humanitas quò se attolleret altiùs, the Godhead could not possibly descend any lower than to take the weak nature of man, and the manhood could not possibly ascend any higher, then to be united personally unto the Son of God.  
And so I come to the power of God's Grace which is made perfect in the weakness of man's sufferings here in this life, which is my second point.  
Which that you may the better understand, I will show you how the power of God's grace is made perfect in the weakness of mankind, and of the weakest of mankind, and in the greatest sufferings that the weak nature of man can bear; I will touch upon all the several kinds of weakness wherein the power of God's grace is made perfect.  
And first this power of God's Grace is perfected in the weakness of mankind; no creature under heaven is capable of God's Grace but only man, men made of flesh and blood, made of dust and slime, sinful men have this treasure of God's Grace in vasis testaceis in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of men, 2 Cor. 4.7. We are cophini seminis coelestis, the baskets wherein the seed of God's word is put which is able to save our souls, we are the cabinets wherein the precious jewels of the blessed Spirit of God are kept; and what singular lights of Grace hath God made many men in the knowledge of his sacred Word in works of piety and charity, and in holiness of life.  
2. This power of God's Grace is made perfect in the weakness of young children, for unto many of them God gave wisdom before years, and grace before discretion, and the Spirit of God before the understanding of a man: Daniel a young youth inspired by God, convinced and condemned to death, the two lust-breathing Elders for their false witness against chaste Susanna; and Samuel a younger than he, in his little coat ministered before the Lord, being girded with a linen Ephod, unto whom the Lord revealed himself in a vision, and told the young child what he meant to do against old Ely the Priest, for the iniquity of his house; but children younger than these, cried in the Temple when Christ came into it, Hosanna to the son of David; which when the chief Priests and Scribes heard and saw, they said unto Christ in a mocking manner, hearest thou what these say, and Jesus replied unto them, yea, have ye never read, out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? Matth. 21.15.16. which words cannot be meant of babes and sucklings in Christ as many Divines would have them, for it is no wonder that they being of years do praise God, but they are to be understood of babes and sucklings in nature, as Calvin rightly expounds, and so they agree very well with Christ's answer to the mocking Priests and Scribes, as if he should have said, it is no wonder, that little children that can speak and go up and down do praise God, when as out of the mouths of babes and sucklings who cannot go nor speak, God hath perfected his praise; but when and how this was so, I can better believe then understand, and more easily admire then express.  
Thirdly, the power of God's Grace is made perfect in the weakness of the weaker sex of mankind; you shall find in the Old Testament as many holy women as men, and in the New Testament as many women believers, as men; and in the Church Calendars as many women Saints and Martyrs as men, who shall be renowned in the Church for their faith, holiness and other Christian virtues as long as the Gospel shall be preached in the world; and Christ appeared first after his resurrection unto women, and by them declared his resurrection unto men, & dum Apostoli dubitant, faeminae credunt, saith Saint Jerome: and while the Apostles were incredulous, the women believed: thus hath God showed the strength of his Grace in their infirmity, and the power of his Spirit in the weakness of their nature, that they should glory not in themselves; but in the grace of God, and in his mercy and goodness.  
Fourthly, the power of God's Grace is made perfect in the weakness of the lowest condition of men, in the weakness of ignorance, baseness and poverty; there are three things which the world admires, Wisdom, Power & Riches; all which God neglected in the calling of men to the Gospel of Christ in the infancy thereof; for not many wisemen after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, were called at the first; but God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God chose the weak things of the world to confound the mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despised, did God choose; and things which were not, to bring to nought things that were, that no flesh should glory in his presence. 1 Cor. 1.  
Deus ab infirmioribus incaepit; and therefore Christ chose to be his Apostles, no disputing Logicians, no witty Poets, no eloquent Orators, no subtlie Mathamatitians, no deep Philosophers, no wise Statesman, no mighty Princes, but poor simple, and unlearned fishermen, and by them he drew whole nations of men into the net of the Church: scientia piscatorum stultam fecit scientiam Philosophorum, saith Saint Ambrose; the preaching of Christ crucified, not by great scholars, but by ignorant men, not with wit and eloquence, but with simpleness and plainness, not pleasing to flesh and blood, but contrary, to nature and reason; and thereby to persuade Orators, and Philosophers, and the mighty men of the world, yea the very enemies and perfecutors of Christian Religion, in the height of all their menacies, and most cruel torments, to believe and to embrace the Gospel of Christ, and in so short a time too, declared plainly to all the world, that the power of God's grace was made perfect in the weakness of ignoance, baseness and poverty: And all this was done thus, that the conversion of the world unto Christ, might not be ascribed to the wisdom of man, but to the power of God's grace. But there are those now, who misunderstanding this text, and other Scriptures of the like nature, affirm, that as simple and ignorant men did heretofore without any learning or premeditation at all, preach and expound the mysteries of God, by the power of God's Spirit, so simple and ignorant men may do the like now; and why? because the power of God's Spirit is the same still that it was, and bloweth where it listeth, and therefore may be perfected as well in their weakness now, as it was in the weakness of others in former times; but this is no good plea, and therefore they that put the spirit to this now deceives themselves, and tempt the power of God's blessed Spirit, for there is a great deal of difference in the times: God gave the gifts of illumination, and of knowledge to simple and ignorant men by inspiration extraordinary and miraculously, in the infancy of the Gospel, and it was fit for those times for the reason before mentioned; but now in a fettled Church such miracles are ceased, and God gives divine knowledge and understanding unto men by labour, industry and study, but God doth still make perfect the power of his grace in the weakness of simple and unlearned, by bestowing upon them the spirit of regeneration and sanctification, and therefore the most simple and illiterate man alive, may believe as well, and as much, as the greatest Clerk in the world: and he that weareth the linen frock may be as holy as he that is brought up in scarlet, & feedeth delicately; and the maid servant that is behind the mill, yea the beggar that embraceth the dunghill, may be as rich in faith and in grace, as he that sitteth in a throne of glory.  
Fifthly, the power of God's grace is made perfect in the weakness of temptations: And (to apply the medicine to the malady) this was the Apostles case; God suffers his children to come many times in their temptations ad ripam, unto the very brink of despair, and perdition, and then the power of his grace helps them; for God is faithful and will not suffer us to be tempted above our ability; but when the temptation is at the highest, than he will make a way for us to escape. 1 Cor. 10. God permits Satan to tempt us, and his temptations are the soarest of all; but he will not suffer him to overcome us, latrare potest, mordere non potest, saith Saint Augustine: He thinks by his temptations to break us, and to take us, and hold us captive at his will; but indeed he takes himself in his own Gins: The more weight is laid upon an Arch, the stronger it is; and the winds which shake the trees, makes them faster at the roots; Satan's temptations like bellows, blow and kindle that holy fire that is within our breasts, even the power of God's grace: let us not then be afraid of temptations: For qui hortatur ut pugnemus, adjuvat aut vincamus, saith Saint Ambroose: He that encourageth us to encounter with temptations, doth and will help us by his grace to overcome them: Et habebimus victoriam in eo quae nunquam victus est, and we shall be more than conquerors through him who for our sakes was tempted and overcome, that we in him might overcome also when we are tempted: The arrows which are often shot against a rock, are so blunted that afterwards they can do little or no harm at all; now Christ hath so blunted all the arrows and darts of Satan's temptations, by his resistance, that though they hit us, yet they cannot hurt us.  
Sixthly, the power of God's grace is made perfect in the weakness of our humiliation for our sins: when a man is ashamed to lift up so much as his eyes to heaven; when a man humbles himself and afflicts his soul with weeping and mourning for his sins; when a man denies himself and believes in his heart, and confesseth that he is the greatest sinner in the world; when a man judgeth himself not only unworthy of the least of all God's mercies, but also most worthy of all the pains and torments in hell for offending God; when a man loathes himself in his own sight, for the sins which he hath committed; when a man abhors himself and reputes in dust and ashes: Yea, when a man brings himself down so low, that the shadow of death rests upon his eye lids, and his speech whispers out of the dust, as it is Esay 29.4. then doth the power of God's grace begin to be made perfect in him; then doth God come nigh to him to dwell with him, and to save him, for he that is on high will dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the spirit of the contrite, to heal his sin-broken heart, and to bind up his wounds of sorrow: Esay 57.18. Psal. 143.3. And then what consolation in Christ, what peace of conscience, what joy in the holy Ghost doth the power of God's grace presently produce in his soul? which none can understand but he that feels, and none can feel but the child of God, the truly penitent sinner; Peccator de peccato dolet, & de dolore gaudet, saith Saint Augustine, the penitent sinner sorroweth for his sins, and rejoiceth in his repentance; unam fudi lachrimam, unam inveni consolationem, I shed one tear for my sins, and I found thereupon one comfort; decem fudi lachrymas, decem inveni consolationes, I shed ten tears for my sins, I found as many comforts for the same, & quantumcunque fuit pondus lachrymarum, tantus fuit numerus consolationum, and as the weight of my tears increased for my sins, so the number of God's comforts increased in my soul according to the saying of the Psalmist, In the multitude of the sorrows (even of the sorrows for my sins) which I had in my heart thy comforts have rejoiced my soul, Psal. 94.19.  
Lastly, the power of God's grace is made perfect in the weakness of sickness, and of all manner of sufferings unto which the weak nature of man is subject; And first in the weakness of sickness. When jacob was sick in his bed unto death, and ready to give up the Ghost, and when his eyes were dim with age, that he could not see, yet then did he foresee, and foretell what should befall the twelve tribes of Israel in the last days; what high and mysterious prophecies did he then deliver in the several blessings of his twelve Sons, and with whatstrength of words, you may read in the 29. of Genesis.  
When job was smitten with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head; when he sat down among the ashes, and scraped himself with a potsherd; when his skin was black and broken, and his bones were burnt with heat, when he could not swallow his spittle, and when he took his flesh in his teeth, when the poisoned arrows of the Almighty drank up his spirits, and his reins were cleft asunder; when his breath was strange to his own servants, nay to his own wife when his sighs were the music to his meat, and his roar were poured out like water; then behold the power of God's Grace was perfected indeed in weakness; than ecce Margaritae in sterquilinio, behold what inestimable pearls were found upon the muckhill, what an eloquent and divine Preacher job was upon the dunghill, what celestial sermons did he then make of God's power, of his providence and of his justice? of man's misery, the shortness of this life, and the resurrection after death; all as full of sweet and heavenly consolation, as his body was then of loathsome sores.  
Anima morbo affecta Deo propinqua; What Angelical meditations, what divine raptures, what heavenly ejaculations, what strong consolation, what powerful exhortations, what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full assurance of faith, what victories over temprations, what swan-like songs, what long to be dissolved and to be with Christ, what embracements of death have many heartsick and dying Christians shown upon't heir beds and dying Christians shown upon their beds of languishing, by the power of God's grace even to the admiration of the standers by, according to the saying of David, Psal. 138.3. In the day when I cried unto the Lord he endued my soul with much strength; with what strength? but only with the strength of grace in his soul. But questionless many of you that hear me here this day have both seen these powers of Grace in them whom God hath brought low by sickness, and also have felt the like in your own souls when the hand of God hath been upon you, and therefore I need not press this point any further.  
And this power of God's Grace is not oney made perfect in the weakness of sickness, by also in the weakness of the greatest sufferings of man.  
When my Father and my Mother forsake me, than the Lord will take me up, saith David, Psal. 27.10. that is, when the nearest and dearest friends that we liave in this world either will not or cannot come to help us, when there is no man to comfort us, then doth the power of God's Grace begin to show itself in us; no distance of place, no close prison, no disconsolate dungeon, no Guard, no locks, no iron gates can keep the power of the blessed Spirit of God, the Comforter from us, but he will come in to us wheresoever we are; as he did unto jonas in the belly of the Whale.  
And if God show the power of his Grace in the weakness of men when they suffer for their sins, how much more will he show the same, when they suffer innocently and without cause; but above all when they suffes for God's cause, and for the Gospels' sake, as the Martyrs did, who when they heard the noise of whips and other instruments of cruelty prepared for them, though they heard sweet and heavenly music founding in their ears, who kisted and embraced the stakes, whereat they were burnt, playing with the flames and trying the power thereof beforehand; as that blessed Protestant Mattyr Archbishop Cranwer did, who burned his recanting hand in the fire, before his sold ascended towards heaven in the flames; who laughed bloodthirsty Tyrants to scorn even to their faces, despising their cruelties while they were more wearied in devising new exquisite torments, and practising strange kinds of deaths upon the Martyrs, than the Martries were in enduring them; yea while the tormentors were more vexed at the patience, comfort, courage, faith, and joy of the Martyrs, than the Martyrs were with their tortures. And what was the reason of all this? why because the power of God's Grace was made perfect in their weakness, Et vilis est omnis poena ubi virtus Dei est, & gloriae culestis expectatio, and all kinds of torments, and of deaths are despised and contemned, where the power of God's Spiritis, and the expectation of heavenly glory. And here I pray see the difference, between the sufferings of Christ, and the sufferings of the Martyrs of Christ; when Christ suffered, his soul was heavy unto death; Deus subtraxit protectonem sed non dissolvit unionem, God did not dissolve the union of the divine and humane nature, but only withdrew his protection, so that he cried out upon the Cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me; which was not vox desperantis the voice of one despairing, for he called him his God twice together, but vox admirantis the voice of one admiring that God this Father should with hold all the sweet influences of his heavenly assistance from him in his greatest extremity, no help, no aid, no succour, no comfort at all then from heaven; but the humane nature of Christ was then left naked to itself: there was none to comfort me, said David, in the person of Christ, Psal. 69.21. none at all, neither man nor God, neither creature nor Creator, but Christ as man, was left alone to himself, and all this was done that our Saviour might fully satisfy the justice of God for our sins. But contrarily now, the Martyrs of Christ went joyfully to their deaths, because as their torments increased upon them, so the power of God's grace incleased in them; and the more their sufferings did abound the more did God's comforts superabound in them. But if Almighty God had withdrawn the beams of his gracious assistance from them, but a little while, yea if God had but turned away his face from them, but a moment, they would not only have been troubled, as the Psalmist speaketh, but they would have trembled, and their knees would have smitten one against another, at the sight of an officers halbart, bart, and at the apprehension of death they would have sunk down presently into the very gulf of despair.  
And so I come to the third consideration of his power, which is the power of God's glory; and this glorious power of God is made perfect in the weakness of corruption, consumption, and as it were annihilation of bodies by the renovation of the creatures generally; for the creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, Rom 8.21. but especially the glorious resurrection of our bodies at the last day according to the working of God's power, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself, Phil. 3. And in this weak, base, and ignominious condition of our bodies after death shall the power of God's glory be made perfect; yea though our bodies make such a strange and long Pilgrimage thorough corruption unto nothing, as S. Cyrill speaks of; though they be devoured of fishes, and those fishes be eaten up of men, and those men be turned into dust, and that dust be scattered by the four winds, yet god can pick up all our parts again, and give every one his own body: redhibentibus ea ignibus, & undis & alxis ferarum & lactibus piscium & ipsorum temporum propria gula, as Tertullian speaks: the fire, the sea, the bellies of wild beasts, the guts of fishes, and times alldevouring throat itself shall yield up their dead again: And do not ask how this can be done; for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, how, in the works of God is an argument of incredulity, as justine Martyr speaks; considera authorem, & tolle dubitationem, saith S. Austin, consider the glorious power of God, and this takes away all doubting.  
And this glorious power of God shall be so perfected in the ignominious weak and base estate of the body after death, that it shall raise up the same numerical and individual bodies unto life again according to the Scriptures. I marvel then that Durand the Schoolman upon the 4. of the sentences, the 43. and 44. distinctions should deny this numerical identity of the body in the resurrection with this bold and peremptory conclusion, salva reverentis omnipotentia divinae dico hoc fieri non posse; with reverence be it spoken to God's omnipotency, this cannot be done, saith he; wherein he shown not only heresy, but also blasphemy, and for both he is condemned by the Schools; yea by the word of God: for all those pronouns in the 19 Chap. of job and the 26. and 27. verses, ego ipse & non alius ut mea, are pronouns of numerical identity; although the worms destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and these mine eyes shall behold him, and not another. Again Christ shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 change our vile bodies saith the Apostle, Phil. 3. now a change is not in the substance, but in the qualities, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Amphilochius, the body at the resurrection shall be the same still for substance, but not the same for qualities; nam gloriae est, non tollere, sed extollere, non interficeresed perficere naturam, saith Gerson: this power of glory shall not destroy, but perfect nature in the resurrection; alius ero, non aliud, saith Tertullian, I shall be another manner of man then, but not another thing, and Christ shall make our vile bodies like unto his glorious body, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith Theodoreo, like in the quality of glory, but not equal in the quantity of Glory.  
Moreover that is called a resurrection indeed, ubi resurgit quod cecidit, saith St. Jerome, where that very numerical body doth rise again unto life which died, as Christ did, and his resurrection is the pattern of ours. And Tertullian gives the reason hereof, ut integrum fiat hominis judicium, that the same flesh which hath been a companion with the soul in virtue or vice, in holiness or wickedness in this world, may be a companion with the soul either in bliss or in pain in the world to come, otherwise one body should sinne, and other body should be tormented, one body should shed its blood for Christ, and another body should be glorified with Christ.  
But after what manner shall this glorious power of God be made perfect in the weakness of our vile bodies? Why in the four celestial qualities of a glorified body, impassibility, clarity, agility and spirituality, which Tertullian calls indumenta Angelica, Angelical vestures, and Ruffinus, prerogativas carnis; the prerogatives of the flesh, and the Schoolmen, dotes corporis gloriosi, the endowments of a glorified body: All which four Saint Paul sets down particularly, 1 Cor. 15. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption, there is the impassibility of a glorified body, nothing can hurt it, it can suffer nothing: it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in honour; there is the clarity of a glorified body shining as bright as the Sun in his strength; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power, there is the agility of a glorified body, as swift as the mind, for where the soul would have the body to be, there shall the body presently be; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body; there is the spirituality of a glorified body, not that it shall be changed into a Spirit, but that it shall be conformed to the Spirit, it shall need no food or sleep to refresh it; sed quasi in Angelicum habitum commutabitur, as Tertullian speaks, but it shall be as it were changed into an Angelical state and condition in all things.  
Now upon this glorious power of God we build our faith and the hope of our resurrection out of the weakness of corruption unto life eternal: Sepulchrum est uterus resurrectionis, the grave is the womb of the resurrection; Can a man go into his mother's womb and be borne again, said Nicodemus? Yes that he may, for he shall go into the womb of the earth, the mother of us all, and be borne again immortal at the last day: Et quanto corpora nostra nunc viliora tanto futura gloriosiora, and the more weak and vile our bodies are now, the more glorious shall they be hereafter: And this dust of ours shall one day be pulvis glorificatus, glorified dust, and dust shall arise never to return to dust any more, Amen.   

Errata.  
PAge 8. in Tit. for first read first. pag. 10. line 21. Eustocnium. p. 13. l. 3. redundantia. p. 17. l. 23. sins. ibid. l. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 24. l. 1. court like. p. 25. l. 13. copiam. p. 27. l 5. come. p. 30. l. 15. justification. p. 31. l. 4. [us] is omitted. p. 57 l. 11. ironically. p. 63. l. 6. subtle. ib. Mathematicians. ibid. l. 7. Statesmen. ibid. l. 17. Philosophers. ibid. l. 20. menaces. p. 66. l. 15. Ambrose. ibid. l. 18. qui. p. 71. l. 12. only.  
FINIS.